Oak Ridge falls 19-6 to district rival Mavs

It was a tough end to the regular season Thursday night for Oak Ridge High School (7-3 overall, 6-2 District 3-AAA) as the Wildcats lost 19-6 to Anderson County (9-1, 7-1) at home on Blankenship Field.

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By Darrell Richardson/The Oak Ridger

Oakridger - Oak Ridge, TN

By Darrell Richardson/The Oak Ridger

Posted Oct. 31, 2013 at 10:47 PM

By Darrell Richardson/The Oak Ridger

Posted Oct. 31, 2013 at 10:47 PM

It was a tough end to the regular season Thursday night for Oak Ridge High School (7-3 overall, 6-2 District 3-AAA) as the Wildcats lost 19-6 to Anderson County (9-1, 7-1) at home on Blankenship Field.

Because the game was a "Rivalry Thursday" matchup being televised on MyVLT2, Oak Ridge was playing not only a day early this week but kickoff was at 7 p.m. vs. 7:30 p.m.

Visiting Anderson County scored first on an impressive second-effort play, as a Maverick player appeared to be going down but some how managed to regain his balance for the touchdown with 7:21 remaining in the first quarter.

Trailing 7-0, Oak Ridge answered with a 21-yard TD pass but the extra point attempt was blocked and the 'Cats had to settle for 6 late in Q1. It would be the last time the host team would score for the rest of the night, as the rain and the wind and the cold grew progressively worse from the middle of the second quarter on.

With 5:02 remaining in the second quarter, Anderson County added 6 more points to its tally on a 9-yard carry but the Mavs missed their extra point, too, making it a 13-6 ball game at the half.

As the final seconds were ticking in the third quarter, a sack by Wildcat seniors Tim Grabenstein and Stephen May put Anderson County way, way, way back in its own territory facing an unenviable third-and-22 situation. However, following an ill-timed 5-yard penalty against Oak Ridge, the Mavericks found some running room down the right sideline and scored the final points of the game on a 92-yard play.

"This one stings," Oak Ridge coach Joe Gaddis said after the game. "But we've got to be ready for Round One of the playoffs -- whoever that may be and wherever that may be.

"Whatever plays were made tonight, (Anderson County) made them. But we've got to get ready for the next one.

"All is not lost."

According to the TSSAA website, football playoff brackets will be released beginning 10 a.m. Eastern this Saturday.

Darrell Richardson can be contacted at drichardson@oakridger.com or by phone at (865) 220-5510.